PASCACK VALLEY, N.J.—Pascack Hills High School junior Ashley Schwartz can add a new honor to her credits: one from Bergen County Clerk John S. Hogan: his Five-Star Student Award, a distinction recognizing outstanding high schoolers who demonstrate leadership, innovation, and service to their communities.
Ashley is the founder and president of Make Our School Safe (MOSS), the first student-led club in New Jersey dedicated to school safety. One of MOSS’s early accomplishments was the development and implementation of a color-coded hallway system to help first responders navigate school buildings more effectively during emergencies.
She has collaborated closely with local law enforcement on several community-building initiatives, most notably Bronco Buddies, a peer mentorship program launched in conjunction with DARE/LEAD drug prevention programs. The initiative helps ease middle schoolers’ transition into high school and strengthens the fabric of the school community.
Ashley also served as junior fire chief with the Woodcliff Lake Volunteer Fire Department, and is an active member of the Youth Advisory Board of NJ4S (New Jersey Statewide Student Support Services). In that capacity, she has worked to raise awareness around student mental health and has successfully brought new wellness programs to her school.
Through a combination of grants, donations, and fundraising, Ashley recently led a project to enhance physical safety on campus, resulting in the installation of branded privacy film on the cafeteria windows at Pascack Hills.
Described by educators and peers as a student who consistently gives back, Ashley is widely recognized for her ability to turn ideas into action and improve her school and community through service.
Hogan tells Pascack Press he presented her with an official Five-Star certificate and a $1,000 check from the John S. Hogan Foundation in recognition of her efforts.
Hogan says his goal is to award students for their exemplary achievements, “whether it be helping their community through volunteer work, student entrepreneurs who have developed a creative business model, or individuals who have overcome some form of adversity and have found a meaningful way to give back to their community.”
Applicants are asked to submit a letter of recommendation (from a non-family member), a brief application (available at bergencountyclerk.gov), and photos or videos illustrating their impact. Awards are presented twice annually.
We last wrote about Ashley in June 2024 — “One year in, MOSS club at PHHS extends a legacy” — noting that MOSS had just visited Fieldstone Middle School to meet with the eighth-grade class. Members held a panel on topics ranging from drug/alcohol use to cyberbullying and social media.
High schoolers answered questions from eighth-graders and addressed their concerns. This event was part of the club’s mission to make a safer, more communicative school environment.
Make Our Schools Safe (MOSS) is a 501(c)3 national non-profit organization dedicated to protecting students and teachers at school. The organization was founded by the Alhadeff family, who lost their daughter Alyssa in the Valentine’s Day 2018 massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Alyssa and her family were former residents of Woodcliff Lake.
MOSS clubs are on-campus clubs of dedicated students who embody the principles and guidelines of the non-profit organization, whose mission is to empower students and staff to help create and maintain a culture of safety and a positive school environment. The MOSS club at Hills is the first of its kind in New Jersey.
The Pascack Hills chapter of the club was created by then-sophomore Ashley Schwartz, with support from the Pascack Valley Regional School District and the Montvale and Woodcliff Lake Police Departments.
We reported that Sgt. Brian Lamendola of Montvale and P.O. Simon Sherfer of Woodcliff Lake work closely with the MOSS Club to improve the culture around school safety. The officers attended the event at Fieldstone with members of the Montvale Police Department.
This event was critical in sharing the club’s mission and encouraging eighth graders to join the club as incoming freshmen.
In an email to Pascack Press, Schwartz said that she was inspired by the events in Parkland to “make a change and work to create a safer environment at PHHS.”
She worked hard to implement the club and told us, “I was diligent with my outreach when recruiting for the club. I sent a school-wide email providing information on MOSS and its mission, set up a table at our club fair, held a general interest meeting and started an Instagram account.”
About the Five-Star Student Award
The Five-Star Student Award celebrates Bergen County high school students who excel in volunteer service, entrepreneurial innovation, or overcoming adversity to give back.
Mail-in applications can be sent to: Bergen County Clerk John S. Hogan, One Bergen County Plaza, Hackensack, NJ 07601-7076.
For more information, contact Antoinette Colletti at (201) 336-7051 or email mcolletti@bergencountynj.gov (Subject: Five Star Student).